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Portland Trail Blazers: Jake Layman could figure into the regular season rotation

By Doug Patrick

BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 04: Jake Layman #10 of the Portland Trail Blazers warms up before the game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on February 4, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images)
BOSTON, MA - FEBRUARY 04: Jake Layman #10 of the Portland Trail Blazers warms up before the game against the Boston Celtics at TD Garden on February 4, 2018 in Boston, Massachusetts. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images) /
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BROOKLYN, NY – JANUARY 10: Nik Stauskas #2 of the Brooklyn Nets handles the ball against the Detroit Pistons on January 10, 2018 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images)
BROOKLYN, NY – JANUARY 10: Nik Stauskas #2 of the Brooklyn Nets handles the ball against the Detroit Pistons on January 10, 2018 at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2018 NBAE (Photo by Nathaniel S. Butler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

Layman and Stauskas

Nik Stauskas has displayed some more of his skillset this preseason, being a player who can also put the ball on the deck to get to the rim or make some clever passes, but the biggest reason he was brought in was for his three-point shooting.

Because Stauskas was targeted and signed by the Blazers in the first days of free agency, it’s likely he will get the nod over Layman for playing time at the outset. When you get new toys, you like to play with them.

No doubt, Stauskas can be a productive player for the Blazers. But Layman may eventually prove to be the better option.

Here’s why:

More often than not in the regular season, the Blazers will likely stagger their lineups to keep one of Damian Lillard or CJ McCollum on the floor. When the other is off, Curry probably fits into the other guard spot. This then leaves Stauskas to play the small forward position.

Although Stauskas, at six-foot-six, has shown tenacity on defense this preseason, he can still get caught a step behind his assignment. While Layman is not that much more athletic, he appears as the better defender with greater size at six-foot-nine.

If Stauskas can be the knockdown 40.4 percent shooter from deep like he was last year with the Brooklyn Nets, these defensive deficiencies could be void. But this shooting percentage came from off only 99 attempts over 35 games.

This preseason, Stauskas is averaging only 30.8 percent from deep on 3.3 attempts per game. Of course, this lackluster percentage could be the result of playing with lesser playmakers, but he has also been missing some of the shots one would expect a shooter of his caliber to knock down.

If Layman can come into games and hit threes reliably, he may begin to create the gravity from defenders that Stauskas commands, spacing the floor similarly all while having a higher defensive ceiling.

When Stotts elects to sit both of his stars, Layman could also be a better shot-creator for himself than Stauskas. If things get stagnant in the offense, the team could place more trust in Layman to go get a bucket to get the team back on track.

To cut into Stauskas’s minutes, Layman will need to show he truly is that better defender and that he can be just as consistent from deep.